The present invention relates to a tape dispensing device and more particularly, to a dispenser which allows a desired length of tape to be secured to a surface and severed from the roll held within the dispenser without the need to physically handle the tape. Almost everyone is familiar with the problems of handling pressure sensitive adhesive tape, particularly cellophane tape. In using such tape, it is necessary to manually withdraw the desired length of tape from the roll, hold the tape in such a manner that the pressure sensitive adhesive side does not come into contact with itself, sever the desired length from the roll and press the severed length onto the desired surface. In an effort to ease this task, attempts have been made to develop a dispenser which allows the user to pay out the desired length of tape directly onto the surface to be taped and sever that length which having to physically handle the tape. Heretofore, such efforts have not proven satisfactory largely due to either the complexity and expense of the device or the device's inability to provide positive control over the tape during the taping operation, resulting in unsatisfactory application. In addition, such devices often allow the severed end of the tape roll to contact or even be pressured against the surface to be taped and then be pulled from the surface as the tape is reversed. Then causes the tape end to collect fibers of the surface to which it was adhered which impairs the adhesive quality of the tape and, adversely affecting the subsequent operation of the device as the tape end will no longer properly adhere to a surface.
Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,523,053; 3,850,779 and 3,745,086. U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,053 exemplifies the complexity of some of the devices which have been developed, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,086 is illustrative of a device which fails to positively grip the tape resulting in awkward and often unsatisfactory tape application. The latter device additionally presses the severed end of the tape roll against the taped surface during application of the tape and then pulls the tape end from the surface, which can adversely affect its subsequent use.
The tape dispenser disclosed herein is of simple construction yet handles the tape under positive control in such a manner as to continuously provided smooth and reliable application of the tape while never allowing the severed end of the tape roll to contact the surface to which the tape is being applied.